Motorsport

Davies denies Rae Superbike crown at Sepang

Ducati rider Chaz Davies celebrates after winning Race 2 in the Malaysian leg of the World Superbike Championship at Sepang International Circuit on Sunday. - S.S.KANESAN/ The STAR

SEPANG: A thrilling last-corner victory by Chaz Davies in Race 2 prevented fellow Briton Jonathan Rea from wrapping up the World Superbike Championship title in the Malaysian round at the Sepang International Circuit.

Rea caught up on the last lap and slipstreamed past Davies on the long run into the hairpin on the last lap.

But it was Davies who had the last laugh as he dived inside before powering his Ducati to the finish line to claim victory by a mere 0.091 seconds.

Rea had earlier clinched his 12th win of the season in Race 1 of the 10th round of the championship.

And he only needed to out-score his Kawasaki Racing team-mate Tom Sykes of Britain by 11 points and Davies by a solitary point in Race 2 to wrap up the series.

Sykes, the 2013 world champion, was eliminated from contention after a first-lap tangle with Italian wildcard rider Max Biaggi in Race 2.

Rea now leads second-placed Davies by 144 points – with 150 points up for grabs in the three remaining rounds. The 11th round is at Jerez on Sept 20.

Sykes, who eventually finished 14th in Race 2, is 157 points adrift of Rea and mathematically out of title contention.

Although missing out on the chance to seal the title, Rea was well pleased.

“Two podiums from two races, I could not complain. I just want to thank my team for giving me an incredible bike.

“We worked really hard on it over the whole weekend to make the tyres last until the end of the race,” said the 28-year-old Rea.

For Biaggi, it was a memorable return for the two-time world superbike champion as he claimed third place in Race 1.

Biaggi, now 44, was a familiar face at Sepang when he was competing in the 500cc World Motorcycle Championship.

“My last race at Sepang was 10 years ago. I am so happy with the podium finish today ... to pass these guys was tough.”